Physio-morphologicaland biochemical characterization of selected recombinant inbred lines of rice for drought resistance

The effect of water deficit on various physio-morhological and biochemical traits were studied during panicle initiation stage using selected recombinant inbred lines (RIL's) of IR20 x Nootripathu and their parents under glasshouse conditions. A pot culture experiment was conducted using tolerant and susceptible RIL's (Ten each). Significant variation was observed for leaf rolling, leaf drying, stress recovery, canopy temperature, relative water content, cell membrane stability, chlorophyll stability index, soluble protein content, proline content, lipid peroxidation and plant production traits such as plant height, number of tillers and biomass under water stress and irrigated conditions between the parents and among the RIL's. The tolerant lines maintained high leaf water status under drought condition. Significant positive correlations were found between proline content, soluble protein content, membrane stability index, chlorophyll stability index, stress recovery and relative water content with biomass under water stress. Negative correlations were found between leaf rolling, leaf drying and lipid peroxidation with biomass under water stress.